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Midlands Model Engineering Show at Warwick

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Clive21/10/2010 23:17:37
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4 forum posts
Hi all,
 
Well I went on Sunday and had a great time and spent way too much money. This was my first ever show so I have nothing to compare it to. The quality of the work on show was just amazing!
 
I'm fairly new to this hobby. I've been using a small bench top lathe and mill for the last three years to build the detail parts and landing gear on 1/4 scale aircraft. I enjoy this so much that I've now decided to buy a bigger lathe and mill (hence the visit to the show) and start building some other stuff. The only fly in the ointment is that it will take me a year to save up the cash plus sell what I've got to finance the purchase
 
 Re the show,  I guess when I've done a few more then I'll be able to choose which ones are best for me, but being able to talk to the guys at Warco and Chester face to face on the same day and compare the machines under one roof was really helpful for me in making likely purchase choices.
 
Clive
 
 
Billy Mills22/10/2010 01:19:57
377 forum posts
I would love to see  larger shows with more small stands as well as the larger ones. However it is a chicken and egg affair, high stand prices stop smaller people who often have the interesting bits.
 
Many locations are grossly overcharging, one London location doubled their two day hire rates from one year to the next. So the show went from two days to one day to never again.  All shows have best days and dull days, Fridays and Saturdays are generally good, Sundays around 30-40% of Saturdays, Monday and Tuesday are time to be elsewhere.
 
My experience in a related market is that the traders are too worried to speak out against rising costs,when they have had a few bad shows they pull out or show wherever else they can. The traders will not admit that they had a bad time for fear of not being offered a stand next time so the whole structure can fall apart very easily because people don't speak out.
 
Anyway it was great being a buyer for a change, there were some good bits to be had  and it is always nice to actually see the stuff in the metal instead of pictures. Meeting Sir John and Adam Stevenson was great as was looking at the work of real craftsmen.Good show but concerned about the future.
 
Alan.
KWIL22/10/2010 09:54:19
3681 forum posts
70 photos
Clive, if that was your first show, you have not seen anything yet! If you can make Harrogate in May 2011 and/or Sandown this December you will gain a great deal from such a visit.
 
ps lots of planes at Harrogate!
Spurry22/10/2010 10:51:23
227 forum posts
72 photos
In years gone by, it was always traditional to go to the shows to 'grab a bargain'. Many of the traders used to have special show offers etc.
 
I was very disturbed to find a new phenomenon at Ally Pally - prices increased! The prices referred to were in comparison to the trader's Internet site. As there were no prices displayed on the stand, I have to admit to not adding two and two together at the time.
 
When I later questioned the trader about his charges, he trotted out the usual excuses - high cost of stand, electricity and so on.  I wonder how many others he caught.
 
Pete
magpie22/10/2010 10:52:26
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508 forum posts
98 photos
Hi Folks
                My first ever post and it is a bit of a moan. I agree with Bogs and Nick that Donnington was far better, but it seems to me that all the show organizers want to get as far away from the north west as possible. I seem to recall that someone said prior to a recent show at ASCOT, that they were glad to have found somewhere more central !!!!!!!     Will someone else please show that person a map.
 
   cheers  Derek
Ray Lyons23/10/2010 18:39:23
200 forum posts
1 photos
I went with my son to the Midlands show for the first time last year. We went our separate ways once inside only meeting up for lunch and the metal casting demonstration. In the evening, we sat in the car to discuss our day and we each saw things which the other had missed. We decided that this year we would make it for two days and planned well in advance booking up B&B and making lists of things to see and buy. Unfortunately, my wife became ill (not serious and OK now) so we had to cancel.
I was sorry to see so many negative comments about this year's show. Could it be the "sign of the times"and we are all feeling the credit crunch. I also go to local vintage shows where there is usually a fair number of full size steam engines and many models but all seem to suffer from a poor turnout this year.
I spoke to one trader at the Bristol show who was very dispondent saying that Friday was good, Saturday dead and when I left him he was not looking forward to Sunday. Perhaps the organisers should respond to these difficult times and either reduce the number of days for each show or reduce the entry fee on the final day(s) to encourage more attendance.
 
Ray 
DMB23/10/2010 23:29:24
1585 forum posts
1 photos
Hi all,
I went to Midlands XBN  @ its present location some years back, wasnt impressed and never returned - not worth a days flog up + down motorways from Brighton - exhausting and I seem to be getting ever older for that lark + enormous cost of petrol now. It was only 6/3d a GALLON (31p/ 4.5Litres!!) when I first filled up many moons ago.
Seriously, I did Harrogate every year for several years, staying over in a B + B and dropping in on GLR on way home to get further bits unavailable @ H. This was/is one of the very best xbns., together with Bristol which I used to go to as a day trip every year but not this year. I always go to Guildford and usually, the 2 big London ones, all very good.  
John.
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